The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1887-03-26
}. n. sTINE, Editor.
CAN OREGON 4FF0RD TTf


II the traffic in Intoxicating liquors,
10 be used as n beverage, is productive
OF more real benefit TO the state than of
injury, then il is conceded at once that
10 prohibit the traffic would he n
wrong and misfortune. But IL il be
true that the injury received 10 the
state at the hands of the traffic far eN-
cceds all the benefits conferred, then il
will become the duty of every true pa
triot to cast his ballot against the ex-
istence of the traffic. For, as from the
principal of frugality, no man can af-
ford to keep that which is of more real
injury than of benefit To him; neither
can any community or state afford to
do such thing.
Now, from the standpoint of material
prosperity, we affirm that the state
of Oregon cannot afford to continue
this whisky business. twill be noted
that for the present we wave all moral
and social considerations, and look at
this question in the light of the ma
terial interests of the state. In the first
place, the wealth of state exists, in n
great measure, in the brain, bone and
muscle of its citizens; for without these
all other resources, however great, are
unavailable; but both science and ex-
perience have unequivocally affirmed
that not only are these liquors unnec-
cssary To impart strength To the muscle,
steadiness To the nerve, or clearness to
the brain, but on the contrary even
their moderate use tends To weaken
the physical and muddle the intellec-
tual powers of man. 1t follows, then,
that in this respect the traffic is Il
source of weakness instead + strength
To the state. But again: Many OF our
ablest iurists and best informed men,
have repeatedly testified that from 75
to 90 per cent of all the crimes COM
mitted, in communities where intoXi-
eating liquors are sold, are the legiti-
mate fruits of the traffic. Now as every
crime committed is a wrong inflicted
against the state, as well as against an
individual or n community, il follows
that at least 75 per cent. of all the
crimes inflicted against the state at the
hands of its citizens, are the results of
this traffic, and that from this point of
view the state ought TO abolish the
business. Again, il Is fact not dis
puted, that the use Of these liquors rs a
beverage is constantly causing the
premature death of many good citizens.
The lowest estimate made of the raw
ages of this business is 81, 900 of the citi-
zens of the United States annually.
Allowing Oregon to have a population
of 2eo, 600, this would make her quota
something over 20O annually. But il
l. well-known fact, to those who have
taken the pains to gather statistics, that
Oregon has exceeded that number of
victims annually for the last several
years. Nor can il be claimed that this
number is taken wholly, or in the main
from the weak and vicious classes.
But often il is the substantial citizen
who looses his life through the rage or
folly of those bereft of reason through
strong drink. Or il Is the noble and
the brilliant. as a Yates Of Illinois, 4
Marshal of Kentucky, or Logan OF
Oregon, who is dragged down by this
monster vice. Who is il that cannot
call TO mind dozen or a score of these
noble ones who have been decoyed to
death by this wretched business. Now,
unless il can be shown that Oregon Is
receiving some great and substantial
benefit from the traffic, then we say il
cannot afford to continue the business